Turn Around, Bright Eyes
by lucy-erin
Summary: If Kurt had met Blaine in the coffee shop. Full description inside. T now, but may end up becoming M. You've been warned.
1. Prologue

_Hey, so after the season finale, I need something to do with my time. Here's a little AU Klaine for you. "If Kurt and Blaine had met in the coffee shop instead..." I'm thinking of setting it a year ahead, but I'll get into that later. If you like it, please, please, please review. _

The tinkling of a bell overhead alerted Kurt that someone had walked into the coffee shop. He looked up from his place behind the bar and smiled, just as he had been taught. The boy walking in was wearing a school uniform from Dalton Academy. He had heard about it before; it was pretty fancy, from the way everyone talked about it. The boy himself was rather attractive, with his dark, slicked back curls and bright eyes. He smiled back at Kurt, locking eyes with him instantly. Kurt was a little ashamed that he had to remind himself to breath.

Bright Eyes walked right up to the counter, already slipping his wallet out of his pocket. "One medium-drip." he said, pulling out the appropriate change instantly. Apparently it was not his first time here.

"Coming right up." Kurt said, setting to work. It had been a pretty quiet day, which was unusual. It was right after school; a time that was usually their busiest. There were only three people in the shop at the moment, and only two people had come in, gotten their coffee, and left.

He turned back to the front, setting the hot cup in front of Bright Eyes and smiling. "There you go." he said, taking the money and ringing him up.

"I haven't seen you here before." he commented, watching Kurt with a small smile on his face.

Kurt felt a familiar blush creep across his cheeks as he smiled in return. "I usually work a later shift." he informed him with a shrug.

"Well, it was nice to meet you..." he trailed off, looking at him inquisitively.

"Kurt," he supplied automatically.

Bright Eyes smiled. "Kurt. Maybe you'll be here tomorrow." And with that he picked up his cup and left.

Kurt was definitely considering changing shifts.


	2. Chapter 1

_Okay, might as well upload it, since it's on Tumblr anyway! Part Two, for your reading pleasure!_

The next few days, Kurt had to work at night, so he didn't get to see Bright Eyes. Mercedes could tell there was someone on Kurt's mind, but the singer wasn't talking. He just worked, did his school work, and thought about the mysterious boy.

It was during Glee Club one day that Mercedes finally snapped. "Okay, boy, start talking. Who is he? What's his name?" she asked, getting tired of Kurt's generic responses to everything he said. She had caught him doodling in Algebra earlier and humming to himself. She had asked if she could cut off all of his hair, to which he mumbled sure and started doodling once more. It wasn't natural.

He looked up at her now though, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. "What are you talking about?" he asked innocently, not wanting to give up any details. Especially so because he really didn't have any.

"The last three days, you've been all moony-eyed and distant. Who are you seeing?" she asked, not letting this go now. She was going to get some answers, and she was getting them immediately.

He sighed dramatically. "I'm not seeing anyone, Mercedes." he assured her, which was the saddest truth he had ever spoken.

She glared at him benevolently, making him cringe. He quickly summarized his brief meeting with Bright Eyes, leaving out the part where he called him that in his head. That was something no one needed to know.

She smiled brightly. "You gotta see him again! Let's go there after school!" she said, nearly bouncing with excitement.

His eyebrows knitted together uncertainly. "I don't know..." he muttered, not sure if he was ready to see the stranger that had been plaguing his thoughts.

She huffed. "How do you expect to find a guy if you don't just go for it?" she asked him seriously. "Come on. He seemed interested, from what you've told me. Just try." she pleaded, wanting this for Kurt more than anything in the world. The boy needed to get some action.

He looked at her for a moment, considering this. Who was it really going to hurt? He didn't even know his name yet. He could do this. Finally, he nodded and she yelped happily, clapping furiously. They got a few curious stares from their peers, who were working on their assignment for the week, but otherwise no one paid them any attention.

Kurt just smiled at her, shaking his head and going back to his notebook, trying not to think too much about what he was doing after school.

"Here you go." Mercedes said, handing him his drink.

He looked to the girl behind the counter. He had worked with her once, but didn't see much of the people on the earlier shift. He was positive her name was Miranda She smiled at him brightly, however. "Are you working tonight?" she asked him.

"Yeah, at six." he said, hearing the bell chime and forcing himself not to look behind him.

She focused on the new customer, however, as they shuffled out of the way, about to head for a table.

"Kurt!" a familiar voice called, making him freeze. He turned slowly, a smile on his lips, to see Bright Eyes at the counter, looking at him with a huge grin on his face.

"Ah, you're the medium drip guy." he returned quickly, proud of himself for not being an illiterate mess or calling him Bright Eyes out loud.

He chuckled softly. "I never did tell you my name, did I?" he said smoothly, step out of line to move toward them.

"I'll go get us a table." Mercedes said, smiling slyly before slipping away. Kurt glared at her before turning back to the still nameless Bright Eyes.

"No, you didn't." he told him, sipping his scalding hot drink before smirking. "Are you planning to?" he added when there was no response.

Bright Eyes looked him over, head to foot, sending a chill up Kurt's spine. There was definitely interest in his eyes. In the last few years, Kurt had learned how to tell when a guy was interested. "Keeping you in suspense is fun, actually." he told him.

Kurt laughed. "Actually, you're just giving me the opportunity to make up more nicknames for you." he said with a small shrug, completely unaffected on the outside, though inside he was writhing with curiosity.

Bright Eyes smiled. "More, huh?" he asked and Kurt observed the way his nose crinkled adorably as he spoke.

"You'll never know." Kurt said, turning to look for wherever Mercedes had gone.

Nodding, he looked Kurt over once more, as if Kurt couldn't see him. Kurt wasn't unaware of this at all, making him blush harder. "Well, what do I have to do to gain this knowledge?" he asked easily.

Kurt looked back to him, pretending to think hard about this. "I'm sure you'll come up with something." he said as he shrugged. "Maybe I'll see you later." he added nonchalantly, finally spotting Mercedes at her table.

He walked away quickly, knowing he wouldn't be able to if he waited for Bright Eyes to respond. Mercedes winked at him as he sat down, immediately wanting details. He retold the entire conversations, a little flustered and out of breath.

When they got up to leave, the barista stopped him. "Someone asked me to give this to you." she told him with a smile and a wink as she handed him a folded napkin.

Mercedes let out a happy chuckle. "Ooh, gettin' numbers and such. Look at you go." she said, nudging him with her elbow.

He rolled his eyes, opening the note. "It's not a phone number." he said, though he was smiling. She snatched the napkin, laughing as she read,

Kurt,

Meet me here tomorrow and I'll tell you my name.

-Medium-drip

"Are you going to do it?" she asked as they walked out to the car.

He merely smiled at her, knowing there was no way he couldn't.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Okay guys, here's part three! I hope you like what I'm doing with this. If you have an suggestions or comments, don't be afraid to tell me! And yes, this will get angsty. It can't all be perfect.**_

As Kurt sat in the Lima Bean, humming Teenage Dream as it played over the sound system, he couldn't help but wonder where this little thing between them was headed. Obviously, he didn't even know Bright Eyes name, but there was definitely something there. He was positive he wasn't making it up. He couldn't have been. He had told himself long ago that he had to quit doing that. It just wasn't good for him, or anyone around him.

But what if he was wrong? What if Bright Eyes wasn't even gay?

No, impossible. He was most definitely gay, or at least bisexual. There was chemistry there, and he'd be damned if he were wrong this go-round.

A small tap on his shoulder made him jump, breaking his train of thought as he turned in his chair, looking up at the very subject of his musing.

"Fancy meeting you here." Bright Eyes teased, going around to take the seat opposite him.

Kurt just smiled, his slightly shaking hands fiddling with his cup to mask his nerves.

As he settled in, Kurt looked him over. He was out of his school uniform, wearing a nice pair of jeans and a dark grey shirt under a red cardigan. He was a simple dresser, whereas Kurt liked to stand out. He could appreciate the style, however. Not everyone dressed the same.

"So, I guess you're probably wondering why I asked you to meet me." he said, once again making Kurt come back to the present with a jolt. He really needed to quit loosing himself like that.

"Well, I was a little intrigued." he admitted, though that was definitely an understatement.

Bright Eyes smiled, and Kurt admired the way it lit up his whole face. He seemed to be a perpetually happy person. Kurt knew too well, however, that looks could be deceiving. He didn't want to be wrong about this, though.

Leaning across the table, Bright Eyes licked his lips nervously, a motion that Kurt followed with his eyes, before blushing slightly. That didn't go unnoticed, to his complete embarrassment, but nothing was said about it for the moment.

"My name is Blaine." he said finally, making Kurt hesitated.

Blaine. Blaine. It was a nice name. Simple, a little different. He didn't know many Blaine s, if any at all. Yes, he decided, he rather liked that name.

"Blaine," he said, testing it out, pretending to mull it over longer than really necessary.

Blaine smirked. "Is there a problem with my name?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"No, no. It's not medium-drip, but it'll do." Kurt assured him, shrugging ever so slightly.

Blaine laughed. "I like you, Kurt. You're snarky." he said simply, making Kurt blush again. "And that is adorable." he added, making a circle in the air with his finger, indicating Kurt's blushing face.

"Oh, now you're just doing it on purpose." Kurt accused, feeling his face grow warmer. Blaine didn't deny this, instead taking a drink of his coffee and looking around the nearly empty shop briefly.

There was a moment of silence when he eyes came back to Kurt, almost as if he were trying to figure out a math problem, while particularly difficult, but not impossible. It wasn't uncomfortable or awkward. It was just... Silent. Kurt was at ease. He didn't feel like he had to say anything. He just looked at Blaine, taking in his eyes once more, though he knew he had them memorized already, and the shape of his lips, his nose, his jaw...

"I want to take you out, Kurt." he said finally.

Kurt felt his jaw drop but he snapped it shut instantly, quirking an eyebrow. "As in, on a date?" he asked quizzically. No one had ever asked Kurt out before. That just didn't happen to him. He had fooled around with one or two guys, though no one was precisely aware of that other than Mercedes, but an actual date? In public? That had never happened to him before.

Blaine laughed softly. "Yes, a date. If you want." he said, leaning forward across the table. "You're cute. And funny. I'm not one to walk away from that." he said softly.

Kurt nodded. "Okay, I guess I could let you do that." he told him, gaining back his attitude little by little now that the shock had worn off.

Blaine smiled. "Good." he pulled a napkin out of the holder on the table and a pen from his bag on the ground beside his chair. Scribbling quickly, he pushed the napkin across the table, phone number and name written neatly.

Kurt took the pen, earning a confused look from Blaine as he wrote his own number on the bottom half of the napkin, ripping it carefully in half, and handing it to him. "If you're really interested, I'll hear from you first." he said easily, standing up, Blaine's phone number in one hand and his coffee in the other. "I'll see you later, Blaine." he said with a wink before turning and leaving the shop without a backwards glance.

Inside, there was a small party of butterflies having a riot in his stomach.

_**Any guesses as to who Kurt's been hookin' up with? ;)**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**I couldn't wait! This just came to me and I had to post it! **_

There was a brush of fabric against Kurt's arm and he looked up to see Dave walking past him. The familiar letterman jacket was the material in question. Dave turned around, giving him a significant look, before ducking into an empty classroom. Kurt looked around the hallway, but no one had seen the exchange. He took his time going into the classroom, making sure none of the students milling around were watching him as he slipped inside, shutting the door firmly.

Dave was on the opposite side of the room, his back to Kurt as he looked out of the two story window. He had a good view of the football field and some of the guys were out practicing now. Kurt made his way over to stand next to him, dropping his bag into a nearby desk as he stood by Dave's side.

"Is there something you needed?" he asked sharply, growing irritated.

He had been fine with their arrangement for quite some time. Secret meetings outside of Lima, random make out sessions in empty classrooms between class periods... But things had changed this year. That was their sophomore year, when Dave was still trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted. He knew now, but he still wasn't ready to come out and Kurt wasn't ready to hide a relationship.

Dave looked over at him, his dark eyes doing nothing to mask his sadness. "I miss you." he admitted, making Kurt's heart ache. They had never actually been together, but there was always some level of emotion when you were doing what they had been doing.

"You made the choice, Dave." Kurt said, trying not to let his voice crack as he spoke.

The football player's hands clenched into tight fists as he turned back to the window. "No, you did. We never had to stop doing what we were doing." he said sharply, the sadness replaced by anger.

Kurt chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, we did. I'm out and I'm proud. Nothing, not even a relationship, is going to change that." he said seriously, turning to leave.

A strong hand grabbed his arm, making him spin around. Dave had moved closer, their chests almost touching. His free hand came up to stroke Kurt's cheek, feather light, and a shiver ran down the smaller boy's back. This was all too familiar to him, and he didn't have the strength to pull away. He hadn't noticed that Dave was moving closer, their lips only inches apart.

"Let me kiss you." Dave whispered.

Kurt could barely nod before Dave's lips were on his own, urgent, practiced, familiar. It was like stepping back in time. His hands came up, fisting themselves into his hair, holding his in place as their lips moved in sync. They knew each other well by now; they knew what the other liked. Dave's tongue traced Kurt's bottom lip, looking for access, and all too soon, Kurt was pulling away.

"I can't do this." he said breathlessly, untangling himself from Dave and stepping away. "I'm sorry." he mumbled, grabbing his bag and leaving the room quickly, not looking back at Dave.

As he walked down the hall, his phone beeped, signaling that he had a text. He pulled it out, seeing that the text was from 'Bright Eyes'. 'What timing,' he thought as he clicked on the message.

'I was going to call you after school, but I couldn't wait that long. Tomorrow night, seven?'

Kurt sighed, sending him a quick affirmative even as his mind was back in that classroom, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened to him.

_**Oh yeah, it's Dave. Sorry for the non-Kurtofsky shippers. I warned that there would be angst.**_


	5. Chapter 4

_**This really was supposed to be the Klaine date. Sorry if that disappoints anyone.**_

There was a tightness in Kurt's stomach as he stood by the front door, checking the window periodically. He was anxious and excited, all at the same time, for Blaine to get there. He had been ready for the past two hours, only making minor adjustments to his appearance as seven o'clock grew closer.

"Are you going out with Dave?" Carole asked from behind him, making him jump. He turned around, looking into the living room to make sure Finn was no where in sight. She chuckled. "He's out with Rachel, calm down." she assured him.

He sighed in relief. Carole was the only person who knew that it was Dave that Kurt had been "seeing", if that's what you wanted to call it. She had been the only person he felt safe talking to about this, because he had desperately needed to talk to someone.

"No, his name is Blaine." he told her, a smile on his face even as his mind made it's way back to Dave and the last time they had actually gone out.

It was right before summer break, a few days before the end of school. Kurt knew it was almost over. Whatever they were was going to come to an end and he was going to be alone again. He couldn't have told anyone how he knew; he just did. Dave wasn't coming out anytime soon, and Kurt wasn't prepared to hide any longer.

It was already dark when he climbed into the car, smiling at Dave where he sat behind the wheel. Dave smiled back, reaching across the arm rest to take Kurt's hand, their fingers intertwined.

"Where are we going?" he asked quietly, not wanting to disrupt the silence in the car too much.

Dave looked at him, a small but mischievous smirk on his face now. "You'll see." he told him, and Kurt knew that this was going to be one of those nights where Dave surprised him with just how romantic he could be.

Kurt never understood their arrangement. They spent time together whenever possible, they acting like they were together, but Dave would never make that commitment. He hadn't pushed him, because he didn't want to ruin what they did have, but sometimes he just felt like Dave was already his boyfriend...

Carole snapped Kurt from his thoughts, waving her hand in front of his face. "Are you going to answer my question?" she asked, earning a confused look in return. She chuckled lightly, a warm laugh that he had grown to love. "How long have you been seeing this one?"

"Oh," Kurt said, laughing softly. "This is the first date." he assured her. He didn't keep things from Carole. He always told her when there was a new boy in his life, even though there hadn't really been anyone since Dave.

She gave him a considering look. "You've got your Dave-face on." she warned, knowing him far too well.

He still shot her a quizzical look, thinking it may be best to play stupid. She quirked an eyebrow at him, knowing him well enough by now. "What happened?" she asked seriously, looking out the window as he did.

"He kissed me." Kurt whispered, his voice low, almost weak. He hadn't planned on telling her, because he didn't want to admit that he had left Dave. Not after that last night together.

The trees were a dark canopy above him, his fingers running up and down the soft blanket beneath him. Dave had gone to turn the headlights on and the brightness startled him, but his eyes adjusted quickly. This night was perfect.

As Dave sat beside him, he smiled. "I'm glad we came here," he said, knowing exactly what this place. It was the beginning of all of their firsts. Their first secret meeting, their first kiss, the first time Dave admitted he was definitely gay to Kurt. It held a lot of memories that Kurt would treasure about Dave, even if things ended.

Dave reached out, his hand finding Kurt and bringing it to his lips slowly, kissing each knuckle like it was precious gold before let their hands fall into his lap. "I'm glad we did too," he said after a moment, a familiar smile on his face. It was a smile that only came out when they were together.

Kurt sat up slowly. "Can I ask why?" he questioned quietly.

Dave looked down at their hands, fidgeting slightly. "I'm not ready, Kurt." he said sadly.

As much as Kurt had expected it, that didn't make it any less painful to hear. He waited for Dave to say more, but the silence stretched on. "So that's it then?" he asked quietly and Dave's eyes found his. There was a sadness in him that Kurt had never seen before, or maybe just never recognized.

"I love you, Kurt. But I can't tell everyone." he told him, knowing that Kurt wasn't going to hide, but also realizing that he wasn't ready for the world to know the truth.

Kurt pulled his hand back, shaking ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, Dave, but you know how I feel." he said, tears already pooling in his eyes. "I think you should take me home."

A honk from outside made Kurt jump, and Carole gave his shoulder a small pat. "Don't let Dave ruin this." she pleaded.

Kurt didn't intend to, but the past had a strange way of coming back to haunt him.


	6. Chapter 5

_**This is just a teaser for the upcoming chapter because when inspiration struck, I had to extend a little. So this should tide you over.**_

Kurt made his way out of the house after giving Carole a quick hug. Blaine's car, a nicer car than most Kurt had seen, was sitting on the driveway, engine purring. It was in good condition, by the sound of it. It probably wasn't very old either.

Kurt had to chuckle at himself for noticing all of this. He wasn't the son of a mechanic for nothing. He knew cars better than he let on.

Blaine stepped out of the car, smiling at him. "I didn't know if coming to the door would be a bad idea." he said uncomfortable. "I don't know how comfortable you are with your parents."

Kurt smiled in return, appreciating this. He hadn't even thought about the fact that Blaine hadn't come to the door, actually. Normally, that would have seemed strange to him, or he would have at least been offended. Dave really was messing with his head.

"It's okay. My dad knows everything." he said with an off-handed shrug.

Blaine smiled brighter, going around the car to open the passenger door for him. "I hope you're ready, because I have big plans." he said, spiking Kurt's curiosity through the roof.

"Should I be scared?" he questioned as he slipped into the seat, taking note of the leather interior.

Blaine laughed as he got in, shaking his head. "I would hope not." he teased, buckling up and prompting Kurt to do the same. "You'll just have to wait and see, though." He shot Kurt a quick wink before pulling out of the parking space.

The drive was nice. It was mostly quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Blaine was easy to be around. He didn't need constant chatter, he didn't push conversation. He was just... peaceful.

"Now, before we get here, I have some rules." he said, slowing down before they rounded a corner. There was a stop sign in front of him and he actually put the car in park to turn and face Kurt.

"Rules? I don't like rules." Kurt said, though he was extremely curious now.

Blaine smiled. "You'll like these." he promised. "Number one; no teasing." he continued seriously.

"What kind of teasing?" Kurt asked playfully.

Blaine smirked. "Any teasing." He laughed, leaning back in his seat to look at Kurt. "At least... Not now." he added quickly, making Kurt blush. "Number two; follow my instructions." he said.

Kurt gave him a dubious look but he just put the car in drive and turned the corner.

"And please tell me you can golf. At least a little."


	7. Chapter 6

_**Okay, here we are! The moment! The date!**_

When they pulled into the mini-golf parking lot, Kurt started laughing. He hadn't been here in years; probably since he was very, very young. So young, in fact, that he barely remembered it.

Blaine gave him a curious look and he shook his head. "I just haven't been here in so long. I almost forgot it existed." he said, unable to get the smile off his face.

Blaine smiled in return. "Well, I guess I didn't do too badly then." he said as he got out of the car, walking around to open Kurt's door for him.

He extended his hand to help Kurt and Kurt felt that familiar, nervous flutter in his stomach. He took Blaine's hand a little hesitantly, getting out of the car quickly. There was a small moment, maybe five seconds, where they looked at each other, neither of them saying a word.

Blaine smiled, and Kurt smiled in return, before they both let go. "Why mini-golf?" Kurt asked as they made their way to the front. The bored teenager behind the counter took the money without a word and went to get two gold clubs for them.

Blaine looked at Kurt and shrugged. "Honestly, there isn't much to do around here and I wanted to do something... Different. This seemed like a good choice." he said easily.

"Here you go." the surly teen said, looking impatient as he put the clubs on the counter for them.

"Please, don't let us ruin your night." Kurt muttered as they headed away, causing Blaine to fake a coughing fit to hide his laughter.

Kurt just smiled and looked around as they walked out into the playing area. It was completely empty. No one was golfing, no kids running around, and even the concession stand was empty. "Um..." he muttered, not sure what was going on.

Blaine laughed. "I rented it out." he said, biting his lip slightly.

'Damn. That's not okay.' Kurt thought, watching that lip like it was the most important thing in the world. It took him a moment to process what Blaine said, but when it did someone might as well have run him over with a cement truck. "What?" he asked in shock.

Shrugging slightly, Blaine explained. "I want to get to know you, Kurt. Not what you're like around everyone else. I can see that at the Lima Bean anytime. But I want to know what you're like when no one else is around, just being yourself."

There was a small moment where Kurt felt a bit of hesitation, wondering if this was too serious, too fast. It dissipated quickly, because he couldn't see this as anything but the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Blaine shook his head. "No need. Let's golf." he said with a smirk.

It didn't take Kurt long to realize Blaine was much, much better than him at golfing. In fact, he was ten times better. Of course, he wasn't complaining about that when Blaine was showing him how to swing the club on the ninth hole. It was by far the hardest, since you had to shoot through the windmill, which was over three hills.

"See, pull back like this," Blaine was saying, his lips much to close to Kurt's hair and his chest pressed to Kurt's back. So close, yet not close enough.

'Stop it, Kurt Hummel. It's the first date. You're better than that.' Kurt scolded himself as his body followed Blaine's movements.

"Kurt,"

Kurt's whole body tensed and Blaine, feeling the change, took a respectful step back, looking toward the speaker. It took Kurt a little longer to turn and look, because he honestly didn't want to see.

"Dave," he said, proud of himself when his voice didn't crack. "What are you doing here?" He sounded pleasant, like this was no big deal when it really, really was.

"Um, work," Dave said, sounding extremely uncomfortable.

Kurt nodded. "Well, this is Blaine. My... friend." he said, only hesitating a little.

Blaine smiled, extending his hand to shake Dave. "It's nice to meet you." he said politely. "How do you two know each other?" he asked casual.

Kurt wanted to bury himself or climb into the windmill and never come out again. Instead, he just averted his eyes, waiting for Dave to say what he always said; "We go to school together," or "He tutors me,"

"We used to go out." Dave said, causing Kurt to look up in shock, his eyes wide as saucers. Blaine looked at him, confusion evident in his eyes.

"It was good seeing you, Dave." Kurt said, golfing forgotten as he took Blaine's hand, intent on leaving.

"See you at school," Dave called. Kurt winced, hearing the undertone of upset mixed with irritation in Dave's voice as he led Blaine away.

They got all the way to the front desk, returning their golf clubs to a very irritated teenager who was ready to leave.

"Bad break-up?" Blaine asked as they made their way to the car.

Kurt stopped in the parking lot. "Dave... He's a long story. I'm sorry that happened. And that I left like that. I just..."

Blaine shook his head. "No, it's okay. Really." he assured him, squeezing his hand gently. Kurt hadn't even realized he hadn't let go. "Besides, I've got more planned." he said with a smirk.

For the moment, Dave was forgotten.

_**Oops...**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**You all are going to hate me, I can feel it.**_

Kurt was floating on a cloud. Everything was bright and happy and nothing in the world was bringing him down.

The date had ended perfectly. Well, almost perfectly. Blaine was a gentlemen in an extreme way, which meant he didn't even try to kiss Kurt. As disappointing as that was, Kurt accepted it because, well, he liked Blaine. He liked Blaine a lot.

"Oh my gosh, he sounds so cute!" Rachel cooed in Glee Club the following Monday, looking insanely jealous. "You're sure he's gay?" she questioned seriously.

Mercedes chuckled. "Definitely gay, Rachel. You didn't meet him. There's no way he's hopping on your train anytime soon." she said, shaking her head slowly.

Disappointment flashed across Rachel's face but then she shrugged and it was gone. She smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Kurt." she said seriously, squeezing his hand gently.

"Thanks." he said, unable to even be annoyed with her. Yes, things were almost perfect.

"Kurt, wait up,"

He froze, not breathing, as Dave caught up to him, rounding so that he was facing him in the nearly deserted hallway. "We need to talk." he said seriously.

"I really don't think we do." Kurt said, finally cracking and stepping around Dave. A large hand grabbed his arm. It wasn't rough, but it was enough to stop Kurt from moving. He looked up at Dave, irritated now. "We're back to this? Are you going to throw me in a dumpster too?" he snapped.

Hurt flashed across Dave's face and Kurt immediately regretted his words. Dave had apologized for weeks about his bullying ways the previous year. It was almost to the point where Kurt was annoyed with him for how sorry he was.

"I'm sorry, Dave. That was out of line." he said, gently prying Dave's fingers off his arm with his free hand. "But I don't want to talk." He turned once more the walk away.

"I'll come out." Dave called. There was no one in the hallway now, which was making him bold.

Kurt turned to face him. "Bullshit." he said simply.

"You don't believe me?" he asked, looking hurt. He crossed his arms over his chest, a defensive pose that Kurt had come to know well.

"Not really, no. I'm thinking if you really meant it, you would have told me that before the hall cleared out." he replied sharply, rolling his eyes. "You're all talk, Dave. You didn't want me bad enough until someone else had me. It's ridiculous, and unfair for me."

Dave nodded. "You could look at it that way. Or, you could look at it as me realizing what I was losing." he said quietly. "I'm fucked up, and you know it. But you always looked past it. I took that for granted. And seeing you with that guy..." he trailed off, his jaw clenched together to avoid saying something he would regret.

"What's your point? I can't have a life until you decide to tell the world your secret?" Kurt asked, getting really sick of this entire conversation.

"I will come out, Kurt." he said, deadly serious. "You'll see." With that, he turned and headed the opposite way.

A thought gripped Kurt as he stood there, watching Dave's retreating figure.

_'If he does come out, who do I choose?'_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Okay, I know, I know, the last chapter sucked... But this one is worse. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Also note, I'm kind of in a rush and there's no spell check going on here. Please, ignore that.**_

One week. It had been one week since Kurt's talk with Dave in the hallway. One week since Dave had assured him he was going to come out, and still nothing. Kurt had given up hope on him a long time ago, but this only reaffirmed it. Still, there was that nagging in the back of his mind, reminding him that some part of him had gotten hopeful. He had actually wanted Dave to go through with it.

"You seem distracted." Blaine said, smirking at Kurt from across the table, stirring his coffee slowly.

Kurt shook his head slowly, shaking away these thoughts, and returning the look. "I guess I am." he said simply, not wanting to get into it.

"I'm a fairly decent listener, when given the chance." Blaine said, as if this were just an offhand statement and not an offer for Kurt to open up to him.

Kurt laughed softly. "It's a long story, and you'd get bored." he said, hoping that would be enough for Blaine.

He merely shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. "If you change your mind..." he trailed off with a little smile in place, totally uneffected by Kurt's denial of his offer.

"Thank you." Kurt said sincerely before looking around the coffee shop as the bell over the door rang. He froze when he saw Dave walk in. The taller boy looked flustered, but not upset or angry. He almost looked... excited.

'This cannot be good.' Kurt thought as he approached the table.

"I wasn't lying, you know." he said, completely ignoring Blaine's existance and focusing solely on Kurt.

"Could have fooled me." Kurt muttered, refusing to look at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm busy." He shot Blaine an apologetic look, but the Warbler merely looked amused by all of this.

"Call Mercedes. Rachel. Santana." he said, listing off the biggest gossips in Glee Club. Kurt looked at him in shock. His phone was in his bag, on silent, because he didn't want anyone interrupting his time with Blaine.

He pulled his phone out, turning it on just to find that he had twelve missed calls. "What the hell..." he mumbled, going through his missed calls listen. They were mostly Rachel and Mercedes. Brittany was in there once.

"Okay, what's going on?" Blaine asked now, sounding only minimally irritated. Kurt barely noticed it and Dave didn't seem to at all.

Kurt looked up at him, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter." he said, slipping his phone back into his bag. He looked up at Dave. "What's your point?" he asked cooly.

"I did what you wanted! I came out for you! It was the only thing you wanted from me and I did it, for you!" he yelled in frustration, making the whole restaraunt stop and stare. "Does that not matter at all? Did you really stop caring so fast? Because I'm pretty sure that kiss last week was more than friendly." he snapped.

Kurt instantly looked at Blaine, who's eyes had widened considerably at this.

"Kurt," he started to say, standing up. Kurt mimicked the action, but he held up a hand in the universal gesture for him to stop. "You obviously have a lot to think about. I'll call you." he said, looking away from Kurt and shaking his head sadly.

There was a pause where Kurt thought Blaine was going to to turn and look at him, but it didn't happen. He turned around and walked out of the coffee shop without a backwards glance.

Kurt rounded on Dave, his hands forming fists at his side, making him want to throw up and cry and scream all at once. "I really liked him, Dave." he said quietly, his jaw clenched against his tears. "Hope you're happy."

He scooped up his bag, running out of the building after Blaine quickly. "Wait, Blaine!" he called, seeing him getting in his car at the end of the row in front of the building.

He made his way toward him quickly and Blaine looked up, those unique eyes meeting Kurt's with a considerable amount of sadness. He stopped, standing there, half in and half out of the car.

"I like you, Kurt. But I'm not interested in all of this drama." he said, shaking his head slowly. "I'll... see you later." he muttered before getting into the car and shutting the door behind him.

Kurt watching him go, biting his lip so he couldn't scream out loud. How did life get this messed up?


	10. Chapter 9

_**I know it's been a long time! I'm so, so sorry. I just get easily distracted and really lazy, so I don't update like I should. But I haven't given up, I promise! This chapter is kind of upsetting, and I apologize for that as well. It'll get better, I promise!**_

Kurt was withdrawing. He knew it, and everyone else was seeing it. He barely talked to anyone anymore, and when he did it usually ended in a fight. He felt bad, but he just didn't want to deal with anyone at all.

"Kurt, you have to figure this out," Mercedes said as she stood by her locker. She was well aware that this was a very risky subject to bring up, but she had to try. She hated seeing him this miserable.

He glared at her. "I don't have to do anything." he snapped, slamming the locker door shut and turning to walk away from her. Of course, this would be the time that Dave decided to be standing there, causing Kurt to run straight into him.

"Shit, Kurt, I'm sorry," he mumbled, taking a step back.

With an irritated huff, Kurt stepped around him. "Can't anyone just leave me alone?" he asked rhetorically, his fists clenched around the straps of his bag.

Dave followed him stubbornly. "What do you want me to do, Kurt?" he asked, the sadness in his voice evident and utterly heartbreaking.

"I think I just said." he replied sharply.

Dave rolled his eyes. "That's not what I mean and you know that." he said, grabbing Kurt's arm gently to pull him to the side. The pair ducked into a doorway, out of the way of other students. "Tell me what to do. Tell me how to win you back." he pleaded.

Kurt looked up at him, recalling all of the things that had happened and what went down with Blaine in the coffee shop.

He still hadn't heard from Blaine. Not once. No message, no call. Nothing.

"I just need to think, Dave." he told him, his voice tired. He hadn't let anyone realize how emotionally worn out he was until that moment. He didn't know what he was letting Dave see it, but that wasn't really relevant.

Dave nodded slowly, his eyes thoughtful as he looked at Kurt. "Promise you'll tell when you've made up your mind." he said desperately.

Kurt just nodded before pulling away from him and walking away, his head ducked and his mind racing. Mercedes was right; he did need to figure this out.

Maybe if Kurt had been paying attention, he would have noticed soon. Maybe if he hadn't been so wrapped up in himself, he would have seen what was happening right in front of him.

Of course, none of these things had happened. He wasn't paying attention and he was wrapped up in himself, causing him to miss something he should have been there for.

The slamming resonated throughout the hallway, making everyone stop and turn, looking at Dave as he pushed away from the lockers. The group of football players around him were laughing, not at all threatened as he advanced on him. They outnumbered him; what was there to be afraid of.

"Why don't you go back to your boyfriend, Davie?" one of them taunted, making Kurt flinch at his own locker, where he was looking on in shock.

Dave shoved the guy, making him stumble back a few steps before one of the other guys caught him. "Shut up!" he shouted, his rage evident.

Kurt didn't know how long this had been going on, but it certainly wasn't the first time.

Two of the guys grabbed Dave, pushing him into the lockers while another punched him in the stomach, making him fall to his knees.

"Enough!" Finn shouted, coming down the hall with Puck and Mike and getting between Dave and the team. "Get out of here. Now." he said.

Kurt took this opportunity to go to Dave, finally remembering how to walk. The shock had gotten to him and he didn't even remember to breath, much less consider going to Dave's side.

'He does this for you. He's going through this for you. And you just stood there.' a voice in his head berated him, but he ignored it, crouching next to Dave. "Come on, let's go." he said, placing a hand on his arm lightly.

Dave looked up at him, tears in his eyes that only Kurt could see, and nodded. They stood together with Puck and Mike acting very much like bodyguards, and headed down the hall, toward the Glee Club room.

Kurt's decision was just getting harder and harder.


	11. Chapter 10

_**I'm gonna be nice and post two today, though this one is much shorter. But I just couldn't think of a way to continue from this. It's gonna get even more interesting now folks.**_

It wasn't long after that that Kurt saw Blaine again.

He couldn't help it that he worked in the coffee shop that Blaine went to frequently. Thus far, they hadn't seen each other, because Kurt mostly worked late, and Blaine always went right after school.

But on this day, nearly a week after the incident in the hallway, Kurt had switched shifts with someone. He had to leave school early to get to school and he was working well into the night, but he wasn't complaining. The more money he had, the sooner he was getting out of Lima.

That was his real goal now. Get out of Lima. Don't make any decisions unless they involve a future away from here. Just leave and don't look back. It was all very practical and simple.

In theory.

But everytime he passed Dave in the hall, came into work, saw someone wearing a cardigan or a sports jacket, he thought of the boys that he was losing his mind over and he was faced once again with the idea that he had to make a choice.

So it didn't help anything when the bell rang above the door and Blaine walked in. He was in that damn school uniform, bag over his shoulder, talking to his friend, and he had yet to notice Kurt.

He laughed about something, making Kurt smile a little. He loved Blaine's laugh. He loved Blaine's smile, as well.

But when Blaine's eyes fell on him, the smile disappeared. Those eyes, so bright and happy most of the time, darkened a little and a small frown fell into place. There was a pit in Kurt's stomach, eating him alive, reminding him that this was all his fault.

"Hey, Kurt," Blaine said, stepping up to the counter and pretending nothing was wrong.

"The usual?" Kurt asked quietly, already grabbing a cup and a marker to write it out. Blaine nodded and Kurt didn't say another word until the order was ready. He took the money Blaine handed him and watched Blaine walk away, his friend watching the whole interaction with concern and confusion.

The bell chimed again and Kurt stared after his retreating figure, feeling sick again.

Why did it all have to be so complicated?


End file.
